Description of the attraction
The medieval castle of Alvor, also called the Fort of Alvor, is considered one of the most significant monuments of military architecture.
The first building on this site - a Carthaginian fort - was built in the 7th century BC. A rectangular fortress was built on top of a mountain. The main gate of the fortress was built much later, during the Renaissance, and faced north. The entrance to this gate was guarded by a tower.
In 436, the fort was captured by the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who renamed the fort into a fortress called Portush Annibalis. During the pre-Roman period, Alvor was an important commercial and commercial center due to its access to the sea. In 736 the settlement was conquered by the Muslims, but continued to play the role of an important trade center. In 1189, King Sancho I of Portugal freed Alvor from the Muslims, but as a result of hostilities, the fort was destroyed. Unfortunately, in 1191 the Moors occupied the region again. In the 13th century, Alvor was conquered from the Muslims, and in 1300 the fortress was rebuilt by order of the Portuguese king Dinis.
During the Christian era, Alvor was one of the main settlements in the Algarve, and the garrison, located in a small building of a square-shaped fort, was always on alert. The building served as a fort until approximately the 17th century. After the Portuguese War of Independence, military forces were transferred to larger forts along the coast, and the fortress was left in disrepair. Buildings are being built on the territory and outside of the steel.
In 1755 the fortress was destroyed by an earthquake. To date, only some fragments of the walls with loopholes and a tower have survived from the fortress.
